For open minds
There are concerns that strange spikes of ice forming in your freezer, reaching up from ice cubes and towards the door is a sign of supernatural activity in your kitchen.
You shouldn’t be worried. Ice spikes are perfectly natural and we have the science to explain what’s going on.
Over a million people have watched Veritasium’s video which suggests the ice spike phenomena was of widespread interest.
In Pure Spirit
Have you ever discovered ice spikes on your ice cubes?
Photographer Marko Korosec responded to a lull in the weather after a long period of snow and wind to climb Mount Javornik. The mountain in eastern Slovenia is better known for ski holidays than alien-like discoveries but it is the latter Korosec found.
The trees and towers have been encased in layers of ice. Some of the ice spikes are said to have over a 1 metre in length.
Like this? You can see more photos over at 500px.
In Pure Spirit
Where would you recommend to take a camera and visit for some fantastic winter photography?
(Via This is Colossal.)
The Wild Ammonoosuc River, in Woodsville, starts off as frozen over with thick ice. You can see how thick the ice is because there is a large crack in it.
The language in the video gets a little sweary as the as the spectators begin to see what’s rushing down towards them. Up river the ice has finally broken and cracked under the weight. This has caused a chain reaction of rushing water and chunks of ice that carve up the frozen river as it tumbles downwards.
In Pure Spirit
Do you have a river near you that acts like this?
This remarkable video shows hikers trekking across a frozen lake in Slovakian Mountains. If you’ve not watched it yet and are wondering what the fuss is about – the video’s had more than 3m views in just 4 days of being online. Viewing figures like that are a good hint at how odd and yet beautiful the lake is.
In Pure Spirit
Have you ever explored a lake when it has been frozen over? Was it scary? Was it wise to do so?
These photos come from Karaganda. This is the capital of the Karagandy Province in Kazakhstan, the fourth largest city in the country. Record high temperatures have been recorded of 40.2°C (that’s about 104.4°F) in August and the record low in December of about -42.9 (-42.9). Averages are more like 25 as high down to -15 as a low. Brr.
In Pure Spirit
Do you live in a city that gets as cold as this? What’s it like battling against the persistent freeze and the sub-zero temperature?
This video footage comes from Steve Leonard and Arctic expert Jason Roberts looking for Polar Bears. Trouble starts early on and the video as their little boat snags on something and the engine cuts out. The engine cuts out right underneath a sheer ice wall. It’s a dangerous place to stall.
In Pure Spirit
Would you ever go on a trip to either the Arctic or Antarctica? Companies like Responsible Travel offer eco-friendly holidays out there but it’s not cheap. An Antarctica and New Zealand Subantarctic Islands Wildlife Cruise will set you back up to $29,000.
This spinning circle of ice was captured on camera by George Loegering. The retired engineer was out and about on the banks of the Sheyenne River in North Dakota when he witnessed the rare weather phenomenon.
The spinning ice is odd because water normally still water freezes and water flowing quickly enough to swirl and whirl breaks up ice. In this instance experts suggest that there was an eddy in the river at just the right speed and the cold, dense air was just right to encourage the ice to form on top.
In Pure Spirit
What’s the strangest ice creation – either natural or man made that you’ve seen? Leave us a comment or a link in the comments below.
This time-lapse was filmed from the icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer as it travelled through the Ross Sea in Antartica. It is narrated by Cassandra Brooks with a superbly engaging voice, a perfect narration for the footage shown.
You’ll see the ship trying to cope as the ice circles tight. You’ll see amused penguins watching from the sides. All the while Cassandra sounds calm and engaged.
In Pure Spirit
Do you think you could stay aboard a bleak icebreaker for months at time?
This video was taken just outside Odessa in the Ukraine. After temperatures dropped to below -30c the sea itself froze. We’re not just talking about a large patch of ice expanding out from the shore but thick and solid ice too.
There is no sea monster. The sound in this video comes from the layers and sections of ice pressing against each other as the sea below moves. The ice itself is groaning.
In Pure Spirit
What do you think of the video? Are you certain that it is the ice groaning or could there be some other explanation for the sounds?
